What are the pros of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove?

Exceptional value with four distinct games and diverse character movesets included in one package.. Tight, responsive controls and well-designed retro platforming mechanics.. Excellent NES-inspired pixel art and a high-quality soundtrack.. High replay value with challenging levels that reward mastery.. Successfully modernizes the 8-bit aesthetic while maintaining nostalgic charm..

What are the cons of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove?

Punishing difficulty spikes and frequent instant-death mechanics can lead to frustration.. The gold-loss penalty upon death is perceived by some as overly punishing.. Old-school design choices like contact damage are polarizing for modern players.. The $40 price point is viewed as high by players who do not appreciate the retro genre..

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the complete Shovel Knight collection, containing all 5 games in the epic saga! Dig, blast, slash, and bash your way through a fantastical, 8-bit inspired world of pixel-perfect platforming, memorable characters, and world-class action-adventure gameplay.

95%

Overwhelmingly Positive

DeveloperYacht Club Games

PublisherYacht Club Games

Release DateJun 26, 2014

-20%

$39.99$31.99

Peak Players2.8K

Metacritic85

Controllerfull

PlatformsWindows · macOS · Linux

Action

Adventure

Indie

AI Review Summary

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is a highly acclaimed collection of four retro-style platformers that serves as a definitive homage to the NES era. While celebrated for its tight controls, diverse character movesets, and exceptional value, some players find its old-school mechanics—such as contact damage and instant-death pits—to be frustratingly punishing.

Pros

Exceptional value with four distinct games and diverse character movesets included in one package.95%
Tight, responsive controls and well-designed retro platforming mechanics.90%
Excellent NES-inspired pixel art and a high-quality soundtrack.85%
High replay value with challenging levels that reward mastery.80%
Successfully modernizes the 8-bit aesthetic while maintaining nostalgic charm.80%

Cons

Punishing difficulty spikes and frequent instant-death mechanics can lead to frustration.75%
The gold-loss penalty upon death is perceived by some as overly punishing.60%
Old-school design choices like contact damage are polarizing for modern players.50%
The $40 price point is viewed as high by players who do not appreciate the retro genre.40%

Notable Mentions

Frequently cited as the gold standard for successful Kickstarter-funded indie projects.
Strong performance and suitability for the Steam Deck reported by users.
Considered by many to be one of the best 2D platformers ever made.

Confidence: 60%

Based on the 79 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Sep 25, 2026

Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak

Peak · last 90 days

102

All-time peak

2.8K

Price

Current price

$39.99$31.99-20%

Lowest tracked

$19.19since Jan 12, 2026

Review Sentiment

Last 30 days

84%

All-time positive

95%

Review Statistics

Total Reviews17.0K

Positive: 16.2K (95%)Negative: 767 (5%)

11%

Reviews from Steam Deck

Dev Response Rate

23h

Avg Playtime at Review

69%

Credible Reviews